Composition and process for the permanent shaping of hair

ABSTRACT

The hair shaping composition for permanent shaping of hair has a pH of from 6 to 9 and contains one or more conventional cosmetic additives, which can include water; perfume oil and/or a surface active compound, and from 5 to 25 percent by weight of 2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid and/or its salts as active keratin-reducing agent. Preferably the 2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid and/or its salts are the only keratin-reducing components in the composition. The method for permanent shaping of hair using this hair shaping composition allows a ready and uniform shaping of the hair without allergic or sensitizing reaction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a composition for permanent shaping ofhair which contains 2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid as an effectivekeratin-reducing ingredient and a process for permanent shaping of hairusing this composition.

The well known classic method for performing the permanent shaping ofhair consists of opening the disulfide bonds of the hair keratin withthe aid of an agent (hair shaping composition) which contains a reducingagent, putting the hair in the desired form or shape and subsequentlyreforming the disulfide bridges again using an agent containing anoxidizing agent (fixing composition).

Sulfite, thioglycolic acid, thiolactic acid, 3-mercaptopropionic acid,mercaptocarboxylic acid ester, Cysteine and its derivatives orCysteamine and its derivatives are used as reducing agents in themethod.

It is known that mercaptocarbonic acid ester, for example thioglycolicacid glycerin ester, are not satisfactory in regard to their skincompatibility and their sensitizing properties, while the thioglycolicacid has a high toxicity in comparison to Cysteine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a newkeratin-reducing composition which is as natural as possible (whichmeans that it occurs as a metabolism product in humans), which has goodskin compatibility properties, a reduced sensitization risk, a lowertoxicity and a good biodegradability.

Surprisingly it has now been found that an efficacious shaping of thehair is possible using a hair shaping composition containing2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid and its salts which have goodphysiological compatibility and reduced sensitizing risk.

The composition according to the invention for permanent shaping of haircontains 2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid and/or its salts askeratin-reducing agent.

The salts of 2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid which are preferredaccording to the invention include the alkali metal salts, the ammoniumsalt and the monoethanol amine salts of 2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionicacid. The ammonium salt and the monoethanol amine salts are particularlypreferred.

Of course it is possible to use the 2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acidand/or its salts together with other keratin-reducing materials--forexample thioglycolic acid, thiolactic acid, 3-mercaptopropionic acid,Cysteine or its derivatives or Cysteamine or its derivatives, howeverthe use of the 2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid and/or its salts asthe effective keratin-reducing material or agent (that means withoutaddition of other keratin-reducing agents or materials) is particularlypreferred.

The 2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid and/or its salts in the readyhair shaping composition according to the invention are present in anamount of 5 to 25 percent by weight, advantageously 8 to 20 percent byweight.

The ready hair shaping agent according to the invention has a pH of 6 to9, advantageously 6.5 to 8.5

The permanent shaping agent can be in the form of an aqueous solution oran emulsion and also in thickened form in aqueous media, particularly asa gel, cream or paste.

Understandably conventional cosmetic additives can be used in the hairshaping composition, e.g. thickeners, such as kaolin, bentonite, fattyacids, higher fatty alcohols, starch, polyacrylic acid and itsderivatives, cellulose derivatives, alginate, vaseline or paraffin oil;wetting agent or emulsifier from the classes of anioinic, cationic,amphoteric or nonionic surface active compounds, particularly fattyalcohol sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, alkyl sulfonates,alkylbenzene sulfates, quaternary ammonium salts, alkyl betaine,ethoxylated alkylphenols, fatty acid alkanol amides or ethoxylated fattyacid esters; tubidity-inducing agents, such as polyethylene glycolester; or alcohols, especially ethanol, propanol, isopropanol orglycerin; dissolving intermediaries stabilizers; buffer substances;perfume oil; dyes and hair conditioning and hair care components, suchas cationic polymers, lanolin derivates, cholesterin, pantothenic acidsor betaine. The cosmetic additives or ingredients are present in amountssufficient to accomplish their purpose, for example the wetting agentsand emulsifiers are present as 0.2 to 30 percent by weight of the hairshaping composition, while the thickeners are present in an amount of0.5 to 20 percent by weight.

A promoter substance, a so-called swelling and penetrating agent, suchas dipropyleneglycolmonomethyl ether, 2-pyrrolidone orimidazolidin-2-one, can be added to the hair shaping composition in anamount of from 2 to 30 percent by weight. Dithiocompounds, particularlydithiodiglycolic acid, dithiodilactic acid or their salts, can be addedto the hair shaping composition to avoid over curling of the hair.

A hair shaping composition which is universally effective for any typeof hair structure can be provided by variation of the pH of the hairshaping composition, if necessary with additional heating. The agentcauses an elastic permanent, uniform shaping of the hair from the hairroots to the hair tips.

The permanent shaping of the hair using the hair shaping compositionaccording to the invention is performed by a process in which before orafter one brings the hair into the desired shape, it is treated with thehair shaping agent, rinsed with water, then subjected to an oxidativeafter-treatment, rinsed with water, if necessary put in a water wave andthen dried. This process is characterized in that the hair shapingcomposition according to the invention is used as the hair shapingagent.

First the hair is washed with a shampoo and after that rinsed withwater. Subsequently the hand towel dried hair can be divided intoindividual strands and wound on curlers with a diameter of 5 to 30millimeters, advantageously 5 to 15 millimeters. Then the hair istreated with an amount of hair shaping agent according to the inventionwhich is sufficient for hair shaping, advantageously from 60 to 120grams.

After an acting time sufficient for the permanent shaping of the hair,which amounts to from 5 to 30 minutes depending on the applicationtemperature, the hair properties, the pH value and the shapingeffectiveness of the shaping agent (10 to 30 minutes without heating; 5to 20 minutes with heating), the hair is rinsed with water and thensubjected to an oxidative after-treatment ("fixed"). The oxidativeafter-treatment agent is used in an amount of 80 to 100 grams accordingto hair feel.

Any oxidative after-treatment agent used up to now in oxidativeafter-treatments can be used in the oxidative after-treatment accordingto the invention. Examples of a suitable oxidative after-treatment agentinclude potassium bromate, sodium bromate, sodium perborate, ureaperoxide and hydrogen peroxide. The concentration of the oxidizing agentdiffers depending on the application time (usually 5 to 15 minutes) andthe application temperature. Normally the oxidizing agent present in thecommercially available aqueous oxidative after-treatment compositionamounts to from 0.5 to 10 percent by weight. The means for oxidativeafter-treatment can understandably contain an additional substance, forexample wetting agent, hair care material such as cationic activepolymers, weak acids, buffer substances or peroxide stabilizing agentsand can be in the form of an aqueous solution, an emulsion as well as inthickened form in aqueous media, especially in a cream, gel or paste.

Subsequently the curlers are removed. As the case may require, thecurled hair can now be subjected once again to an oxidativeafter-treatment. Then the hair is rinsed, if necessary put in a waterwave and subsequently dried.

The subsequent examples illustrate the invention, but should not to beconsidered limiting for the claims appended hereinbelow.

EXAMPLES Example 1

Hair Shaping Composition for Dyed Hair

    ______________________________________                                        10.0  g      2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid                               6.1   g      ammonia (25% aqueous solution)                                   2.0   g      ammonium hydrogen carbonate                                      2.0   g      isopropanol                                                      1.0   g      isooctylphenol, ethoxylated with 10 mole of                                   ethylene oxide                                                   1.0   g      poly(dimethyldiallyl ammonium chloride)                          0.3   g      perfume oil                                                      0.1   g      vinyl pyrrolidone/styrene mixed polymerizate                                  (Antara.sup.R 430 of GAF Corp.; New York /USA)                   77.5  g      water                                                            100.0 g                                                                       ______________________________________                                    

The pH value of this composition amounts to 8.0.

Hair damaged by a dyeing process is washed with a shampoo, rubbed andwound on curlers with a diameter of 8 millimeters. Subsequently theabove described hair shaping agent is distributed on the curved hairuniformly. Then the hair is covered with a plastic cover and heated for10 minutes under a drying hood at a temperature of 40° C. Subsequentlythe cover is removed, the hair is rinsed with water and oxidativelyafter-treated with 100 grams of a 3 percent aqueous solution of hydrogenperoxide. After removal of the curlers the hair is rinsed with freshwater, put in a water wave and dried.

A uniform elastic permanent shaping of the hair is obtained as a resultof the treatment with the hair shaping composition according to theinvention. EXAMPLE 2

Hair Shaping Composition for Normal Hair

    ______________________________________                                        16.0  g      2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid                               8.9   g      ammonia (25% aqueous solution)                                   5.0   g      ammonium hydrogen carbonate                                      4.0   g      urea                                                             2.4   g      monoethanolamine                                                 1.5   g      isooctylphenol, ethoxylated with 10 mole of                                   ethylene oxide                                                   0.5   g      poly(dimethyldiallylammonium chloride)                           0.5   g      perfume oil                                                      0.1   g      vinyl pyrrolidone/styrene mixed polymerizate                                  (Antara.sup.R 430 of GAF Corp.; New York /USA)                   61.1  g      water                                                            100.0 g                                                                       ______________________________________                                    

The pH value of this composition amounts to 8.4.

Normal undamaged hair is washed with a shampoo, rubbed and wound oncurlers with a diameter of 6 millimeters. Subsequently the abovedescribed hair shaping agent is moistened on the curved hair. After anacting time on the hair of 15 minutes the hair is rinsed with water andthen subsequently treated with 80 grams of a 3 percent aqueous hydrogenperoxide solution. After removal of the curlers the hair is rinsed withfresh water, put in a water wave and dried.

The hair so treated has a uniform and vivacious curl.

EXAMPLE 3

Hair Shaping Composition for Normal Hair and Difficult-to-Shape Hair

    ______________________________________                                        3.0   g      2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid                               15.0  g      Cysteine hydrochloride                                           11.0  g      ammonia (25% aqueous solution)                                   1.5   g      isooctylphenol, ethoxylated with 10 mole of                                   ethylene oxide                                                   0.5   g      poly(dimethyldiallylammonium chloride)                           0.5   g      perfume oil                                                      0.1   g      vinyl pyrrolidone/styrene mixed polymerizate                                  (Antara.sup.R 430 of GAF Corp.; New York /USA)                   68.4  g      water                                                            100.0 g                                                                       ______________________________________                                    

The pH value of this composition amounts to 8.7.

The hair is treated in the same manner as in example 2 however the timethe hair shaping agent is allowed to act on the hair is about 20minutes.

This treatment provides a uniform natural shaping of the hair from thehair roots to the hair tips.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in acomposition and process for permanent shaping of hair, it is notintended to be limited to the details shown, since various modificationsand structural changes may be made without departing in any way from thespirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims.

We claim:
 1. Hair shaping composition for permanent shaping of hair having a pH of from 6 to 9 and containing water; from 5 to 25 percent by weight of at least one keratin-reducing agent selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid and ammonium, alkali metal and monoethanol amine salts of said 2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid; and at least one cosmetic additive selected from the group consisting of kaolin, bentonite, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, starch, polyacrylic acid, cellulose, alginate, vaseline, paraffin oil; anionic, cationic, amphoteric and nonionic surface active compounds; turbidity-inducing agents; dissolving intermediaries; alcohols; stabilizers; buffers; perfume oil; dyes; cationic polymers, lanolin, cholesterin and pantothenic acid.
 2. Hair shaping composition as defined in claim 1, containing no keratin-reducing means other than said at least one keratin-reducing agent.
 3. Hair shaping composition as defined in claim 1, containing at least one additional keratin-reducing agent besides said at least one keratin-reducing agent, wherein said at least one additional keratin-reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of thioglycolic acid, thiolactic acid, 3-mercaptopropionic acid, Cysteine and Cysteamine.
 4. Hair shaping composition as defined in claim 1, in the form of an aqueous solution, a gel, a cream or a paste.
 5. Hair shaping composition as defined in claim 1, wherein said surface active compounds are selected from the group consisting of fatty alcohol sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, alkylbenzene sulfates, quaternary ammonium salts, alkyl betaine, ethoxylated alkylphenols, fatty acid alkanol amides and ethoxylated fatty acid esters.
 6. Hair shaping composition as defined in claim 1, wherein said surface active compounds are present in amounts from 0.2 to 30 percent by weight.
 7. Method for permanent shaping of hair comprising the steps of bringing the hair into a shape, treating the hair with a hair shaping composition having a pH of from 6 to 9 and containing from 5 to 25% by weight of at least one keratin-reducing agent selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxy-3-mercapto-propionic acid and ammonium, alkali metal and monoethanol amine salts of said 2-hydroxy-3-mercaptopropionic acid; allowing the hair shaping composition to act on the hair for from 5 to 30 minutes; rinsing the hair with water; after the rinsing of the hair with the water, performing an oxidative after-treatment with from 80 to 100 grams of an oxidative after-treatment agent selected from the group consisting of potassium bromate, sodium bromate, sodium perborate, urea peroxide and hydrogen peroxide; after the oxidative after-treatment, rinsing the hair again with water and then drying the hair.
 8. Method as defined in claim 7, wherein from 60 to 120 grams of said hair shaping composition is applied to the hair during the treating of the hair with the hair shaping composition. 